It is known to apply such intermittent compression to an upper or lower limb by means of an inflatable sleeve made of a flexible material and divided into a plurality of internal inflatable cells extending along one dimension of the sleeve, each of the cells including a port for inletting and outletting fluid with respect thereto, thereby to individually inflate or deflate the cells, the sleeve being applicable to the limb to be treated so as to enclose it with the inflatable cells extending annularly around the sleeve and the limb. Such sleeves are, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,781,041, 4,013,069, 4,156,425 and 4,338,923 as well as in French patent specification Nos. 1175948 and 2246260.
With sleeves of this kind, inflating means are provided for applying a pressurized fluid to the ports in accordance with a predetermined sequence for the inflation and deflation of the internal cells. The predetermined sequence is controlled by a suitable distributor through which the pressure source is coupled to the ports, whereby the cells are inflated or deflated in accordance with a predetermined sequence.
In all cases hitherto, the predetermined sequences of inflation and deflation of the sleeve cells involve a stage where all cells are simultaneously inflated so that, during that stage, the limb is subjected to compression along its entire length and at least the initially inflated cells remain inflated during the entire cycle so that the portion of the limb surrounded by these initially inflated cells are continuously subjected to compression during the entire cycle.